NHL Worst ever ratings on NBC - Page 4

MicroBob · #31 06-10-2007, 02:41 PM

Mason - wasn't sure whether the Jackets were still popular in Columbus or not.
I went to one Blue Jackets game in their 2nd season and the atmosphere was awesome. And obviously the arena is top-notch.

Seems like Columbus has a lot going for it.
I think that getting NHL teams in non-NBA markets like that so there isn't as much direct in-season competiton is a good direction for the NHL to take.

bluef0x · #32 06-10-2007, 03:59 PM

Every restaurant I've been to during a Sharks game had the game already on. The only time I remember not seeing hockey when I wanted to was during the playoffs last year at TGIF's, they had DirecTV and obviously no Versus. I also know that places that tune into HDNet or whatever always show hockey games.

This is in Sacramento, a good hour and a half or 2 away from San Jose with no real following.

Hockey is the best sport in HD, IMO... but it's also the worst in SD. I've also heard countless other people say the exact same thing, including Mark Cuban.

dw2006 · #33 06-10-2007, 08:01 PM

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NHL will be surpassed by soccer soon [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]I was under the impression it already was...

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MLS?

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Yes.

dw2006 · #34 06-10-2007, 08:03 PM

Also, ESPN has no interest in showing the NHL. After the strike ESPN filled their NHL slots with random college basketball games (Fresno St. vs. Pepperdine, St. Joseph's vs. UMass, etc.) which got better ratings and cost way less than NHL games. NHL is dead.

MinRaise · #35 06-10-2007, 09:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Mason - wasn't sure whether the Jackets were still popular in Columbus or not.
I went to one Blue Jackets game in their 2nd season and the atmosphere was awesome. And obviously the arena is top-notch.

Seems like Columbus has a lot going for it.
I think that getting NHL teams in non-NBA markets like that so there isn't as much direct in-season competiton is a good direction for the NHL to take.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Blue Jackets really blew a great chance to establish the franchise when tOSU bball was down a few years ago. tOSU will always be king in this city, but the Jackets really could have carved a niche those years by at least competing for the eight seed.

It's not too late to establish the franchise, but it will be more difficult being in the shadow of what looks like a developing powerhouse bball program. The support is still pretty good, but it is going to decline quickly with another awful year or two.

Doug McLean, in addition to not fielding a competitive team, was a huge jerk in public and radio appearances. He would often make lame excuses and question the hockey knowledge of anyone that dare question him. His firing was long overdue.

MicroBob · #36 06-10-2007, 11:23 PM

As I said, I haven't followed the NHL that much.
but I'm guessing one of the radio announcers you are referring to would be their color commentator Bill Davidge whom I've known since I was a kid when he was head-coach at Miami (Ohio).

Obviously I agree with your assessment that tOSU is in town. Frankly, I was suprised that the team was as popular as it was so quickly as I didn't think an NHL team would catch on so well in OSU-country. Obviously I was wrong on that. I think the city really digs their team.

By comparison, I'm in Memphis which isn't as much of a college town but is similar to Columbus in that they only have one major-league team.
But support for the Grizzlies is really low and it has very little to do with how bad they were this season.
Kind of sad when a city with only one major-league team can't show any support for them.

MinRaise · #37 06-11-2007, 12:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
As I said, I haven't followed the NHL that much.
but I'm guessing one of the radio announcers you are referring to would be their color commentator Bill Davidge whom I've known since I was a kid when he was head-coach at Miami (Ohio).

Obviously I agree with your assessment that tOSU is in town. Frankly, I was suprised that the team was as popular as it was so quickly as I didn't think an NHL team would catch on so well in OSU-country. Obviously I was wrong on that. I think the city really digs their team.

By comparison, I'm in Memphis which isn't as much of a college town but is similar to Columbus in that they only have one major-league team.
But support for the Grizzlies is really low and it has very little to do with how bad they were this season.
Kind of sad when a city with only one major-league team can't show any support for them.

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I think there was a certain matter of pride when we finally got a "Big 4" team here. Columbus was, for years, the largest market without such a team. The arena is very nice, and it totally revitalized that area of the downtown. It also helped that they were able to completely privately fund the arena.

The Jackets did a good job of promoting youth hockey programs as well. I believe it is the only arena with an attached practice rink in the NHL. Sometimes, you can see youth hockey practices going on there even during games.

It will be sad if they can't get a competitive team in the next few years. There certainly is enough of a market there, but patience is wearing thin. Tickets are very, very expensive, especially when you consider PSL fees. I work right across the street from the arena, and by the end of this latest miserable season, desperate scalpers were practically giving away tickets. I think the new GM would be wise to field a competitive team by 2009, as I don't think he will be given more than a one year pass.

mason55 · #38 06-11-2007, 12:20 AM

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The Jackets did a good job of promoting youth hockey programs as well. I believe it is the only arena with an attached practice rink in the NHL. Sometimes, you can see youth hockey practices going on there even during games.

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Hockey was just starting to take off in Columbus as well. When I started playing hockey we had 1 ice rink in the city and I was 9 years old playing with 14 year olds (the league wasn't affiliated with USA Hockey).

In high school we got to practice on their practice ice and played states on the real ice in the arena which was awesome.

When I started, 1 high school in the city had a team (happened to be mine). By the time I graduated high school 9 years later (and CBJ's second year in existence) I think 5 schools had varsity teams and a few more had club teams.

It seemed to be a kind of synergy, people got excited about hockey because of the team, then they got excited about the team because of hockey. Not sure what the state of HS hockey is in Columbus right now but I can only imagine it's improved even more.

MicroBob · #39 06-11-2007, 12:28 AM

"desperate scalpers were practically giving away tickets."

ouch. not a good sign at all.

tOSU hoops success probably really hurt them I'm guessing.

tOSU hockey still has a loyal following of fans too who otherwise might be going to a handful more Blue Jackets games I'm guessing.

Those are probably not-huge factors though compared with simply fielding a competitve team.

Triumph36 · #40 06-11-2007, 09:24 AM

The Blue Jackets still sell out a ton of games. Doug MacLean has just made bone-headed move after bone-headed move. I don't think playoffs in 09 should be their goal - these sorts of goals have already screwed them up enough.

The team just cannot draft anyone aside from 1st round picks who are successful - and even their 1st round picks haven't lived up to expectations, aside from Rick Nash, who had a terrible year last year.